Perth City Council could be suspended within hours by the WA government following years of infighting.

Local Government Minister David Templeman said on Thursday he intends suspending councillors as their positions were untenable.

He is due to release the details of how that suspension will occur on Friday.

There are two options, the softer being to issue a "show cause" notice, where the council has 21 days to argue why it shouldn't be removed.

The more likely option is that Mr Templeman will suspend the council and appoint an inquiry panel with powers similar to a royal commission, which could recommend the council be sacked.

The government will appoint commissioners to run the council if it is suspended.

Elected councillors have already been blocked from accessing the computer system or removing or destroying any files, with a department investigation under way.

Western Australia's most significant local government appears racked by division, with chief executive Martin Mileham going on stress leave last week citing the fact that he felt unsafe at work.

His temporary replacement Robert Mianich then also went on stress leave this week and the council appointed Anneliese Battista in the role.

The councillors are split over support for Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi, who was recently suspended over a gifts and travel expenses scandal that she appealed and had partially overturned.

The infighting appears to have spread to the actual executive and the entire local government's hundreds of workers, with reports the work environment is toxic.